A developmental antecedent-reciprocal effects model of the animal cruelty-later offending relationship

This paper offers a theoretical treatise on the animal cruelty-later offending relationship in the form of a developmental antecedent-reciprocal effects model. The model itself consists of three elements (animal cruelty, low empathy, and moral neutralization) believed to be bidirectionally related to one another and either unidirectionally or bidirectionally linked to certain environmental/external events and experiences, to include victimization, opportunities for social learning, and schedules of reinforcement. Hence, animal cruelty can be both a cause and effect of low empathy, moral neutralization is just as likely to shape animal cruelty as animal cruelty is to shape moral neutralization, and low empathy both drives and is driven by neutralization. Progression at the apex of the model (in this case, animal cruelty) occurs as the individual moves from safe targets and objectives to less safe targets and objectives they find more reinforcing (smaller animal → larger animal → bullying → delinquency). A research agenda is laid out in which longitudinal data are used to map the various relationships proposed by the model and recommendations for assessment and intervention are offered.